When Customers Complain, Here’s What They REALLY Want

This concept has become so enmeshed in our collective psyche of buzzword-dom, it tends to become a blanket statement that practically every company touts they offer, whether it's true or not. While we may have an idea of what this *should* mean, it can feel vague. However, if you've ever been on the receiving end of poor customer service, you definitely know what customer service is NOT.

At one point or another, we've either been in a situation with an unhappy client or customer, or we've BEEN that unhappy client or customer. Even the companies who do their very best to make good on delivering a customer experience that is positive, life is imperfect and sometimes things just go wrong.

When customers complain, what do they really want? There was a "Customer Rage" study done in 2017 that dug in to find answers to these questions and outlined, in order, what your unhappy customers and/or clients want you to do to make things right.

(Sourced from results of 2017 "Customer Rage" Study)

Unhappy customers want:

87% To be treated with dignity

79% An assurance that the problem won't be repeated

76% The product repaired/service fixed

76% To be talked to in everyday language, not a scripted response

71% Offending company seeks to empathize

68% An explanation of why problem occurred in the first place

64% A thank-you for the business

60% An apology

Rounding out the rest of the responses, we find there's a desire to get their money back, be able to express their anger, a free product or service for the future, etc. Yikes, 19% said they wanted revenge so look out for this rogue fringe of folks.

Best to do what you can to understand where they're coming from and treat them with dignity as soon as you know a problem has occurred. Go from there. Be human.